The Italian soul swelled with new vigor and conviction as the Roman Empire summoned its fill of human likeness into the banquet of history. Today we see the vestiges of a once bustling citadel; where ghosts of a lost generation crowd central squares, the crumbling homes of the elite, and ancient funerary tombs.These faces, carved to reflect Rome’s glorious past, tell stories of those who paved the way for the Western mind.
Analysis
The Romans were transient; they saw, in their own physicality, the capacity of a spiritual world beyond; they expounded upon the synchronicity between life and projected reality, but nothing could draw them out of their moment. The successes that were possible for one human could be carried out in life and would often be transposed on the solid vestiges that still have a power. It is the power of history in motion and ageless potential.There are two approaches in viewing and discovering the certainty behind Roman Portraiture and both have everything to do with the approach of the proprietor in question. The first can be treated as a historical document that illustrates the biography of the celebrated personage. (D’Ambra, 96). When taking this approach, one must ask, is this a faithful and consistent representation of the sitter? The second approach takes into account the persuasive elements of visage, considering how bureaucrats and sculptors ensured that the images conformed to certain standards and were recognizable.(D’Ambra, 97) Either approach attests to the dramatic success of these monuments, which preserve the appearance of long-deceased men and women and the color of their accomplishments. (Brilliant, 166)
As Historical Documentation
Much of Rome’s history has been preserved in the people. Portraiture gives a direct representation of the human form and how it relates to its craft. This art form could also be considered a direct representation of a person’s successes, lineage, and citizenship (Brilliant,166) Having a portrait alluded the importance of a mere human as he/she ascended the empirical social ladder of the Roman Empire. In some cases, however, a portrait was only a study of humanity, or a display of craftsmanship.
These busts include, but are not limited to, lower status citizens such as slaves and merchants. Still, the majority of portraiture was erected as a tribute to the elite. Based upon the consistency of portraiture, we can better understand the movements of social power, how it was portrayed, and the importance of Gravitas (civic duty) and Virtus (excellence of character). More is revealed by the facial features, fashion, and technique used in carving heads and busts. From a portrait, one can infer the era in which it was erected, the person it represents, their social status, and clues about the cultural normality at the time.
As Dramatic Persuasion
For the Romans, portraiture was a blending of identification with spiritual value (Brilliant, 182) Those who came into power began to explore the possibilities of their own superiority in society thus representing themselves as heroes, philosophers, and deities. (Touchette)
'The cult of the emperor’ is the most extreme example of this phenomenon; images of deified men (mainly emperors) could be found in even the most remote corners of the empire. Competition in the political arena is reflected in dedications in public spaces. (Touchette) At the forefront of this stratagem was Caesar Augustus (pictures below), the first emperor of the Roman empire. Lori-Ann Touchette states that Augustus exerted an enormous impact on the visual language of Roman art (27 BC–AD 14). Recognizing the power of images in the struggle against Mark Antony, he changed his own portrait type several times in accordance with changes in his self-representation. Moreover, he introduced the custom of disseminating the imperial portrait image throughout the empire in the form of marble copies and casts; more than 250 examples of his portrait survive as a result.
In some sense, a portrait was the middle ground between man and God. According to the ancient sources, honorific portraits of mortals pre-dated the representation of the gods in the Roman world. This emphasis on the individual and self-representation propels the entire history of Roman sculpture. (Touchette)
The bone structure, the direction of the eyes, the fullness of the lips, all contributed to the power that an expression uses to convey the prowess of high society, emperors, nobles,merchants, craftsmen,slaves and even gods. Yes, Legacy was of high importance to the Romans; and important to us for it was not what they did, but what they left behind which tells us of this mysterious past...but I digress, The establishment of legacy was partly due to the lasting portraiture that would be displayed in likeness of a roman citizen, namely one who had established wealth and societal prominence. Citizens kept portraits in their house to demonstrate piety, family history, and mere affordability. (D’Ambra, 94) To be awarded a portrait, erected in the city at the expense of the public, would mark the culmination of a career studded with civic honors and achievements. (D’Ambra, 93) As more public arenas for self-representation were monopolized by the emperor and imperial family, aristocratic competition focused on the funerary realm, where ordinary men could utilize the iconography of emperors and gods.The emphasis is on the offices or profession of the deceased, their virtues, and social ambitions, whether articulated through scenes of daily life or through mythology and allegory. (Touchette)
Artists
Despite the esteem of portraiture, Artistry was a trade of the lower order. Though a craft that required rich detail, originality and creativity were not goals of these artists. (D’Ambra,96) Sculptors used traditional methods, basing their work upon life itself or upon the memories of commissioners. Heads or busts would often be pre-made with expectations that citizens would purchase them and have them uniquely transformed. The goal of an artist was to embellish realism with a prominent air of wealth and good establishment. Artists payed close attention to such detail as the arrangement of locks on the head.
For example, these two portraits of youths seem exactly the same. However, upon close examination, it is apparent that there are slight variations in the arrangement of the locks. Their hairstyle, with the wave across the forehead, was worn by Nero (ruled A.D. 54-68), The emperor in power when these portraits were sculpted. Originally, each bust has strands of hair attached to the back of the head, a style characteristic of Tirones- special attendants in a military youth organization known as the Iuventus. The manufacturing technique and the appearance of the busts suggests that they were made in Gaul, where they were probably displayed in the local shrine of the Iuventus.
(Portrait of Two Youths, Getty Villa)
As you can see, much information can be determined based primarily upon the deep drilling of hair follicles, details that an artist would pay close attention to...
Today the function of Roman Portraiture helps archeologists and historians to trace the names synonymous with with the history of the Republic and Empire (D’Ambra, 101) Art conservationists use different stylistic clues such as carving technique, fashion ,and comparative materials to unearth the origin, time frame, and personality of a portrait.
One example can be found in the Getty Villa of Malibu (pictured below) The Sitter’s hairstyle and the techniques used by the artist to render facial features help identify her. High quality carving suggests an expensive commission. Delicately chiseled hair and drilled, heart-shaped pupils indicate a date between A.D. 150 and 250. Also, the ornate hairstyle is different from those of roman empresses in the first and second centuries A.D. The skull-braid hairstyle was made popular by Epress Plautilla. Lastly, comparing the head to a coin depicting Plautilla (bottom right of image) confirms the statue’s subject. literary sources indicate that Plautilla ruled from A.D. 202 to 205, providing a specific date for the portrait. (Empress Plautilla, Getty Villa) One reason why it is so easy to relate to this culture is because of the relevance that remains intact during the 21st century. We preserve our likeness and the likeness of those we admire in periodicals, films, and photography to name a few. It may be safe to say that the Romans would be just as fascinated with us as we are them.
Brilliant, Richard. Roman Art from the Republic to Constantine: By Richard Brilliant. London: Phaidon, 1974. Print.
D'Ambra, Eve. Roman Art. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998. Print.
Touchette, Lori-Ann, Roger Ling “Roman art, ancient” The Oxford Companion to Western Art. Ed. Hugh Brigstocke. Oxford University Press, 2001. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. Pepperdine University. 26 June 2011 <http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t118.e2259>
"Empress Plautilla" Placard. The J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Villa, Malibu, CA., 2011. Print.
“Portrait of Two youths”The J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Villa, Malibu, CA., 2011. Print.
Roman Portraiture
Table of Contents
Analysis
The Romans were transient; they saw, in their own physicality, the capacity of a spiritual world beyond; they expounded upon the synchronicity between life and projected reality, but nothing could draw them out of their moment. The successes that were possible for one human could be carried out in life and would often be transposed on the solid vestiges that still have a power. It is the power of history in motion and ageless potential.There are two approaches in viewing and discovering the certainty behind Roman Portraiture and both have everything to do with the approach of the proprietor in question. The first can be treated as a historical document that illustrates the biography of the celebrated personage. (D’Ambra, 96). When taking this approach, one must ask, is this a faithful and consistent representation of the sitter? The second approach takes into account the persuasive elements of visage, considering how bureaucrats and sculptors ensured that the images conformed to certain standards and were recognizable.(D’Ambra, 97) Either approach attests to the dramatic success of these monuments, which preserve the appearance of long-deceased men and women and the color of their accomplishments. (Brilliant, 166)As Historical Documentation
Much of Rome’s history has been preserved in the people. Portraiture gives a direct representation of the human form and how it relates to its craft. This art form could also be considered a direct representation of a person’s successes, lineage, and citizenship (Brilliant,166) Having a portrait alluded the importance of a mere human as he/she ascended the empirical social ladder of the Roman Empire. In some cases, however, a portrait was only a study of humanity, or a display of craftsmanship.These busts include, but are not limited to, lower status citizens such as slaves and merchants. Still, the majority of portraiture was erected as a tribute to the elite. Based upon the consistency of portraiture, we can better understand the movements of social power, how it was portrayed, and the importance of Gravitas (civic duty) and Virtus (excellence of character). More is revealed by the facial features, fashion, and technique used in carving heads and busts. From a portrait, one can infer the era in which it was erected, the person it represents, their social status, and clues about the cultural normality at the time.
As Dramatic Persuasion
For the Romans, portraiture was a blending of identification with spiritual value (Brilliant, 182) Those who came into power began to explore the possibilities of their own superiority in society thus representing themselves as heroes, philosophers, and deities. (Touchette)'The cult of the emperor’ is the most extreme example of this phenomenon; images of deified men (mainly emperors) could be found in even the most remote corners of the empire. Competition in the political arena is reflected in dedications in public spaces. (Touchette) At the forefront of this stratagem was Caesar Augustus (pictures below), the first emperor of the Roman empire. Lori-Ann Touchette states that Augustus exerted an enormous impact on the visual language of Roman art (27 BC–AD 14). Recognizing the power of images in the struggle against Mark Antony, he changed his own portrait type several times in accordance with changes in his self-representation. Moreover, he introduced the custom of disseminating the imperial portrait image throughout the empire in the form of marble copies and casts; more than 250 examples of his portrait survive as a result.
Sitters
In some sense, a portrait was the middle ground between man and God. According to the ancient sources, honorific portraits of mortals pre-dated the representation of the gods in the Roman world. This emphasis on the individual and self-representation propels the entire history of Roman sculpture. (Touchette)The bone structure, the direction of the eyes, the fullness of the lips, all contributed to the power that an expression uses to convey the prowess of high society, emperors, nobles,merchants, craftsmen,slaves and even gods. Yes, Legacy was of high importance to the Romans; and important to us for it was not what they did, but what they left behind which tells us of this mysterious past...but I digress, The establishment of legacy was partly due to the lasting portraiture that would be displayed in likeness of a roman citizen, namely one who had established wealth and societal prominence. Citizens kept portraits in their house to demonstrate piety, family history, and mere affordability. (D’Ambra, 94) To be awarded a portrait, erected in the city at the expense of the public, would mark the culmination of a career studded with civic honors and achievements. (D’Ambra, 93) As more public arenas for self-representation were monopolized by the emperor and imperial family, aristocratic competition focused on the funerary realm, where ordinary men could utilize the iconography of emperors and gods.The emphasis is on the offices or profession of the deceased, their virtues, and social ambitions, whether articulated through scenes of daily life or through mythology and allegory. (Touchette)
Artists
Despite the esteem of portraiture, Artistry was a trade of the lower order. Though a craft that required rich detail, originality and creativity were not goals of these artists. (D’Ambra,96) Sculptors used traditional methods, basing their work upon life itself or upon the memories of commissioners. Heads or busts would often be pre-made with expectations that citizens would purchase them and have them uniquely transformed. The goal of an artist was to embellish realism with a prominent air of wealth and good establishment. Artists payed close attention to such detail as the arrangement of locks on the head.For example, these two portraits of youths seem exactly the same. However, upon close examination,
it is apparent that there are slight variations in the arrangement of the locks. Their hairstyle, with the wave across the forehead, was worn by Nero (ruled A.D. 54-68), The emperor in power when these portraits were sculpted. Originally, each bust has strands of hair attached to the back of the head, a style characteristic of Tirones- special attendants in a military youth organization known as the Iuventus. The manufacturing technique and the appearance of the busts suggests that they were made in Gaul, where they were probably displayed in the local shrine of the Iuventus.
(Portrait of Two Youths, Getty Villa)
As you can see, much information can be determined based primarily upon the deep drilling of hair follicles, details that an artist would pay close attention to...
Excavation
Today the function of Roman Portraiture helps archeologists and historians to trace the names synonymous with with the history of the Republic and Empire (D’Ambra, 101) Art conservationists use different stylistic clues such as carving technique, fashion ,and comparative materials to unearth the origin, time frame, and personality of a portrait.One example can be found in the Getty Villa of Malibu (pictured below) The Sitter’s hairstyle and the techniques used by the artist to render facial features help identify her. High quality carving suggests an expensive commission. Delicately chiseled hair and drilled, heart-shaped pupils indicate a date between A.D. 150 and 250. Also, the ornate hairstyle is different from those of roman empresses in the first and second centuries A.D. The skull-braid hairstyle was made popular by Epress Plautilla. Lastly, comparing the head to a coin depicting Plautilla (bottom right of image) confirms the statue’s subject. literary sources indicate that Plautilla ruled from A.D. 202 to 205, providing a specific date for the portrait. (Empress Plautilla, Getty Villa) One reason why it is so easy to relate to this culture is because of the relevance that remains intact during the 21st century. We preserve our likeness and the likeness of those we admire in periodicals, films, and photography to name a few. It may be safe to say that the Romans would be just as fascinated with us as we are them.
Bibliography
Brilliant, Richard. Roman Art from the Republic to Constantine: By Richard Brilliant. London: Phaidon, 1974. Print.
D'Ambra, Eve. Roman Art. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998. Print.
Touchette, Lori-Ann, Roger Ling “Roman art, ancient” The Oxford Companion to Western Art. Ed. Hugh Brigstocke. Oxford University Press, 2001. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. Pepperdine University. 26 June 2011 <http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t118.e2259>
"Empress Plautilla" Placard. The J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Villa, Malibu, CA., 2011. Print.
“Portrait of Two youths”The J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Villa, Malibu, CA., 2011. Print.